HRM & THE DESIGN OF WORK (BLOG - 6)

 

Figure 1: HRM & THE DESIGN OF WORK

Human Resource Management more commonly known as HR has been defined in many different ways but at the heart of every definition is the human capital - the employee. HRM is defined as the effective management of people in an organisation or company so that they may contribute to the company's or organization's business success.. HRM systems and policies are designed to maximize employee performance to achieve strategic objectives.

Human Resource Management is defined by Edwin Flippo as “planning, organizing, directing, controlling of procurement, development, compensation, integration, maintenance and separation of human resources to the end that individual, organizational and social objectives are achieved.”

Some of the most basic roles of HRM are - recruitment strategies, recruitment, training, motivation, leave policies, other workplace policies, employee-related legal compliances, organizational culture, monitoring, salary structure etc to name a few.

HRM - Human Resource Management Meaning, Nature & its Origin

HR has its origins in the industrial revolution, 18th century Europe. The Industrial Revolution got a large number of laborers who moved from farming into mills, factories and mines. An unexpected rise in the workforce necessitated representation and planning.. This need facilitated the organisation of trade unions to represent the interests of the working people. Employers had to decide whether to accept the unions' demands at a cost to themselves or endure the loss of productivity. The skilled workers were thought to be the first to successfully negotiate their circumstances through this method. Skilled personnel were difficult to replace and faced a risk of joining competitors.

At the same time, intellectuals such as Charles Babbage and Robert Owen highlighted that employee well-being led to excellent performance; a company could not thrive without healthy personnel. they believed the success of an organisation was greatly dependent on the people.  One of the oldest professional HR associations- CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) which was started in the year 1913 had starts in the England as the Welfare Workers' Association.  Year 1948 saw the formation of the American society for personnel Administration, this later became the largest professional HR organisation which is the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Origin of HRM study has its origins in organizational psychology, organizational behavior, organizational theory and industrial psychology. Cornell University (U.S.A.) in 1945 was the world's foremost institution of the higher education to focus on workplace studies at — The School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Nature of Human Resource Management - HRM

Any and all organizations are fuelled by human beings even artificial intelligence is designed and programmed by human beings making HRM pervasive. Human resource management assumes that the people alone generate value and add to the competitive advantage of organizations making Human Resource Management a very important function in all organizations.

Employees can be certain that they will be working in a professional and safe workplace if a company has statutory compliance in its HR department. Statutory compliance with payroll and employment laws instil confidence in the employees and helps build a healthy work environment and increases employee retention. In today's increasingly competitive economy, HRM plays a critical role in employee retention. (community.nasscom.in, 2023)

Key responsibilities of HRM

Figure 2: HRM

Any large or mid-size business will have a human resource management department. When there is a need for employing more staff, HRM will source suitable applicants.

If the business needs to downsize, HRM will also oversee the redundancy process for the existing staff. HRM also manages vacation time, illness problems, bereavement leave, and other day-to-day staff issues.

In the matter of a legal dispute with a staff member, HRM will take over the case. They will deal with all aspects of the dispute and find in favor of one of the parties involved. Where staff are in breach of their employment contract, HRM will intervene and handle a termination, if necessary.

HRM ensures smooth operations for the staffing of a business. This allows  management to focus on the running of the business and avoids the distraction of, for example, internal rows involving employees.

In a smaller business, HRM may be the responsibility of the line manager. The work may take away focus from their daily job, and, in time, a business may need to employ an HRM officer or train an existing member of staff to take on the role.

Human resource management is vital to business growth

Figure 3: HRM Growth

HRM trains staff in best working practices but also prepares staff for advancing within the organization. This is a key role. By not retaining and continually training new staff, a business may not grow according to plans.

Experience is not easy to come by and having staff with the necessary skills already on board avoids many problems in the future. It is cheaper to train existing staff than to source and train new members.

Human resource management also keeps the business a pleasant place in which to work. Making staff and management aware of employment law and good behavior at work is part of every HRM department’s remit. They resolve disputes before they arise, remove staff that may not add to the overall ethos, and mediate between staff and management when problems do occur.

 

What is the meaning of human resource management?

Human resource management (HRM) is the strategic and comprehensive approach to the management of an organization's most valued assets - its people. It is responsible for the attraction, selection, training, assessment, and rewarding of employees, while also overseeing organizational leadership and culture, and ensuring compliance with employment and labor laws. HRM is also concerned with organizational development and performance management.

What is human resources in simple words?

Human resources (HR) is the department within a company responsible for recruiting, training, and managing employees, as well as maintaining employee relations and compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

What are the 7 roles of human resource management?

·       Recruiting and Hiring: Human resource managers are responsible for sourcing, screening, interviewing, and selecting applicants for open positions.

·         Talent Management: Human resource managers play an important role in developing and maintaining a talented workforce.

·         Compensation and Benefits: Human resource managers design and manage all employee compensation and benefits programs.

·         Training and Development: Human resource managers are responsible for ensuring that employees have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their roles.

·         Employee Relations: Human resource managers are responsible for fostering positive relationships between employees and management.

·         Performance Management: Human resource managers play an important role in tracking and managing employee performance.

·         Compliance: Human resource managers ensure that the organization is compliant with all relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

What are the 4 types of HR?

·         Recruiting and Hiring

·         Employee Training and Development

·         Performance Management

·         Employee Relations and Benefits Administration (www.shopify.com, 2023)

 

Conclusion

The results underscore the importance of HRM in the organization, especially for HR and organizational outcomes. Further analyses of HRM in the company will prove to be a productive endeavor for both scholars and HR managers. (Vermeeren, et al., 2023)

References

community.nasscom.in. (2023, 4 30). Human Resource Management (HRM) Definition Meaning. Retrieved from community.nasscom.in: https://community.nasscom.in/communities/hr-summit/human-resource-management-hrm-definition-meaning

Vermeeren, B., Bram Steijn, Lars Tummers, Marcel Lankhaar, Robbert-Jan Poerstamper, & Sandra van Beek . (2023, 4 30). HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations. Retrieved from human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com: https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1478-4491-12-35

www.shopify.com. (2023, 4 30). What Is Human Resource Management (HRM)? Definition and Guide. Retrieved from www.shopify.com: https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-human-resource-management